Hotbox cooler



Nov. 2, 1948.

Filed March a, 1946 s. w. CLUTTON. v 2,452,731

' HOT BOX COOLER 2 Sheets-Sheet -1 INVENTOR.

FIGURE l.

SAM wM.. OLUTTON.

BY myzaw% ATTD RN EYS Nov. 2, 1948. r s. w. CLUTTON 2,452,731

HOT BOX COOLER Filed March 8, l946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGURE 5 FIGURE 9 FIGURE 6 FIGURE 4 FIGURE a I NV EN TOR.

SAM W M. CLUTTON FIGURE 2 ATTD RN EYS Patented Nov. 2, 1948 uni-si n smear FFEQE 1 Thisrinvention -relates-toa-= device for lubricating-an overheatedjournal box; known as-a hot boxffand it is;oneobject to provide a-devicewhichmayy'be mounted upon a journal box of a railroachcar axle :or other rotary shaft and serveas a carrier fona reserve-supplyof -oil which will be discharged-into thejournal'box in case the journal box becomes overheatedand thus prevent thejournal box from developinga hot box and" catching-fire;

Another-object ofthe inventionis: to provide a lubricant-homeredconstructed that the lubricant willi'be normal held in a-reser-voir which is sealed by-plugs formed of fusible material so that in-case-thejournal -box-becomes overheated thepiugs will -melt and a-llow the reserve supply of lubricant to flow into the journal box.

Another object of the inventionis to provide a deVice-of-th-is character-so constructed that when the iusi-ble plugs melt oil in the reservoir of the device may; flow through a tubehaving outlet spouts-spacedfrom each ther-longitudinally ofthe device and thus discharged into-the journal box in such manner that allparts-oi-the'journal box-willbequicklylubricate d and prevented from catching fire.-

Another object of the invention is-to providethedevice with an auxiliary reservoir containing asubstance which is; normally held in the auxiliary reservoir by-fusible plugs and will be released when the journal box becomes overheated so that trainmen or other workmen will" be warned-that the journalbox has become overheated dueto improperglubricationc. and. needs attention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this-lcharacller: 1Which; -is-.simple in construction and very compact and may be readily applied to--j our-nal boxes -of conventionalsize-and construction.

The invention is illustrated in; the accompanying drawin s wherein:

Figure. l isa sectional view takenlongitudinally through theimpr-oved journal .boxlubricator and signal;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of Figure 1-:

Figure: ,3 is a section taken: along line 3+3 of:-

Figure-. 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the oil reser- I a Wrench by means of which it is screwed into the a body --or removed therefrom. Vent holes l are formed through each plug at the inner end of its socket 3. From the under portion of the body project necks 5 and 6 which have their lower portions tapered so that they will have wedging fit in the sockets I at upper ends of ports 8' and are firmly secured bywelding, as shown at 9, or in any desired manner. The ports 8 are formed through the upper portion of the journal box l0 and when oil is discharged into the ports 8 it enters the journal box at points spaced longitudinally thereof and onto the axle or shaft at such points that thea-xle i I will be quickly supplied with oil.

Within the casing or body 5 is a cylindrical container l2 formed. of sheet metal and constituting of sheetmetal and between the oil reservoir and the drum and the container are rubber spacers ifi' and lfil'the spacer l5 being formed with a center opening i'l. A rubber spacer it having a .center opening i9 is disposed between the drum and theadjacent plug 2' and between this plug and the spacer l8 is'a'metal plate 26 formed in its central portion-with vent openings 2i. Since the openings 2i of the vent plate 253 are between the openings ll of the plug and the opening E9 of the spacer l8rair may enter the drum, through the vent opening l l and causes oil to flow freely from the drum. The reservoir 12 is formed along its under portion with-a longitudinally extending channel 22-i-which is aligned with channel 23 formed along the under portion of the drum and in these channels is mounted a discharge pipe 24 having branche .Edtand 2t which fit into the bores of the neck-s B and- 6. From an inspection of Figure 1 it will'be-seenthat oil flowing from the reservoir 52' into the drum it will enter the pipe 2 through the entrance 2'! at the inner end thereof and then flow through the pipe and out through its branches to the ports 8 through which it enters the journal box. At one end the reservoir i2 is formed with outlet openings 28 closed by plugs 29 of fusible metal and when the journal box becomes overheated, due to lack of proper lubrication, the heat entering the drum will melt the fusible plugs and oil in the reservoir will flow through the opening I"! of the spacer and through the opening M of the drum and into the drum from which it will flow through the pipe 24 and its branches to the journal box. A cup 36 carried by the drum and resting upon a tongue 3! projecting from the adjoining end of the oil reservoir is provided to catch the melted plugs 29 and prevent them from passing out of the drum with the oil and into the journal box.

When a journal box becomes overheated and the reserve supply of oil is delivered to it, it is desired to warn the train crew of the fact that a journal box needs attention. Therefore the container or auxiliary reservoir I3 is filled with an odorous substance which may be gas or other suitable material. This substance is confined in the container. l3 by fusible plugs 32 which tightly close the outlet openings 33 and when heat from an overheated journal box melts the plugs 29 it will also melt plugs 32 and allow escape of the odorous material through the openings 33 and the openings of the adjoining closure 2 of the casing i. As soon as the odor of the material escapin from reservoir I3 is noticed the train crew will repack and lubricate the journal box and, after removing the empty containers I2 and !3 insert new ones.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a casing open at its ends, removable closures for ends of said casing, necks extending from said casing for establishing communication, between the casing and a journal box; a container in said casing constituting a reservoir for an auxiliary supply of oil; a drum in said casing between the reservoir and one end of the casing; .the reservoir and said drum having under portions formed with aligned channels; a discharge pipe extending longitudinally in said channels and having branches entering the necks, said pipe having its inner end communicating with the drum; said reservoir having openings in one end for delivering oil to the reservoir normally closed by plugs meltable to release oil in response to predetermined heat of the journal box, a receptacle for catching melted plugs dislodged from outlets of the reservoir, the drum and the adjoining closure for an end of the casing being formed with air inlet openings, an auxiliary reservoir in said casing at the opposite end of the oil reservoir for holding an odorous material, the adjoining closure for an end of the casing being formed with outlet openings, and plugs for closing the openings of the auxiliary reservoir formed of fusible metal adapted to be melted and dislodged to release the odorous material when the journal box becomes overheated.

2. A device of the character described comprising a horizontal casing having removable closures for its ends, necks extending downwardly from said casing and adapted to be secured in openings formed in a journal box, an oil reservoir in said casing, a drum in the casing between the reservoir and one end of the casing, the end of the reservoir confronting said drum being formed with an outlet closed by a plug of fusible metal, a discharge pipe extending from said drum along the reservoir and having branches entering the necks for delivering oil to the journal box when the plug is melted in response to predetermined temperatures of an overheated journal box, the drum and the closure for the adjoining end of .the casing being formed with air inlet openings, and an auxiliary reservoir for an odorous material disposed in the casing at the opposite end of the oil reservoir from said drum and normally closed by a plug of fusible metal. 1

3. A device of the character described, comprising a casing having removable closures for its ends, means for mounting the casing upon a journal box, an oil reservoir in said casing having an outlet atone end normally closed by a fusible plug, a drum in said casing for receiving oil from the reservoir when the plug is melted in response to overheating of the journal box, means in said drumfor holding the dislodged plug, a pipe extending from said drum and outwardly of the casing for delivering oil to an overheated journal box, an auxiliary reservoir in said casing for holding odorous material, said auxiliary reservoir having an outlet closed by a fusible plug adapted to be dislodged when melted in response to heat of an overheated journal box.

4. A device of the character described comprising a casing having removable closures for its ends, means for mounting the casing upon a journal box, an oil reservoir in said casing having an outlet at one end normally closed by a fusible plug, a drum in said casing for receiving 011 from the reservoir when the plug is melted in response to overheating of the journal box, a pipe leading from said reservoir and outwardly of the casing for delivering oil to an overheated journal box, said drum having an air inlet, and an auxiliary reservoir for holding odorous material having an outlet closed by a plug of fusible material adapted to be melted and dislodged when the journal box becomes overheated.

5. A device of the character described comprising a casing having removable closures for its ends, means for mounting the casing upon a journal box, an oil reservoir in said casing having an outlet at one end normally closed by a fusible plug, a drum in said casing for receiving oil from the reservoir when the plug is melted in response to overheating of the journal box and a pipe leading from said reservoir for delivering oil to an overheated journal box.

SAM WM. CLUTTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 477,319 Wilson June 21, 1892 526,921 Gregg Oct. 2, 1894 612,653 Witkowski Oct. 18, 1898 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 311,664 Great Britain May 16, 1929 

